Did closing I-84 hurt or help?

Interstate 84 was closed to all drivers for hours Wednesday, and opinions are mixed as to whether the shutdown was necessary.

NATHAN BROWN and JAMES NANI

Interstate 84 was closed to all drivers for hours Wednesday, and opinions are mixed as to whether the shutdown was necessary.

State police Superintendent Joseph D'Amico said the road was just closed to tractor-trailers as first, but they decided to shut the whole highway as road conditions worsened.

"The decision to close a highway is not taken lightly," he said. "In the interest of overall safety for everyone, the decision to close a highway sometimes has to be made."

People driving on the highway were liable to be ticketed, but a state police spokesperson said they weren't aware of any tickets issued during the shutdown.

Amanda O'Connell, spokeswoman for the Galleria at Crystal Run, said many of the mall's employees use I-84 to get to work — some store managers even take it from Connecticut — and had trouble getting in because the road was closed. The mall opened an hour late Wednesday.

"It definitely didn't help people get to work, that's for sure," she said. "I think just the bad weather as a whole (rather) than the actual rule of not being able to drive on 84, made a lot of people's commute harder."

Wallkill Supervisor Dan Depew said he thinks the state made the right call in closing I-84. He praised Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Department of Transportation for being proactive and, by closing the highway, preventing any accidents on it during Wednesday's rapid snowfall.

"This wasn't a slow storm that was going to take a long while. There's no way that plows can keep up with that," Depew said.

Commenters on the Record's Facebook page were mixed. Some said it was the right call, others said it was unnecessary.

"About time they got smart and closed highways to get snow and ice off so it is safer," wrote Cathy Zenes Kaufman. "Less accidents."

John Kielbasa, the owner of Fernwood Firearms in Sullivan County, said the closure meant his store couldn't get FedEx deliveries, and that it drove down other traffic to the county. He questioned why the Thruway was left open, if I-84 was deemed too dangerous. "I have seen storms larger than the last two and 84 was open," he wrote.

Others blamed employers who stayed open despite the heavy snow. "I think the bigger story is the companies that make you feel like you should risk your safety to come in," wrote Diane Reddy Cooper, who said she lives in Pennsylvania but works in Middletown.

Assemblyman Frank Skartados, D-Milton, said he believes Cuomo made the right call, but he hasn't seen the data, either.

"The question deserves a close examination to determine the best course of action to keep our roads open for emergency services," he said.

Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, D- Forestburgh, said she thought the state made the right call, avoiding a situation like in February 2010, when motorists were stranded on I-84 for hours and emergency responders had to bring them water on snowmobiles. "I remember thinking, God help us if you had an incident in that car, or you ran out of gas," she said.

State Sen. John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope, also felt it was the right decision.

"I won't second-guess Gov. Cuomo's decision," he said. "Whenever Mother Nature is cruel, businesses suffer, schools are closed, and hardships are created for those who depend on good weather."

Though most area legislators seemed to think the shutdown was necessary, state Sen. Greg Ball, R-Brewster, criticized it, saying the "constant" closures were "doing more harm then help." Ball said tractor trailers were forced onto back roads and emergency personnel like doctors and nurses were unable to get to jobs.

"New Yorkers can smartly handle snow without completely shutting down a major thoroughfare," Ball said.

Though Cuomo's office didn't return calls for comment, Howard Glaser, Cuomo's director of operations for the state of New York, took Ball to task via Twitter Wednesday.

"Would you rather have your constituents stranded/freezing in their cars?" Glaser said.

Town of Montgomery Supervisor Michael Hayes said he drove on I-84 between 6:30 a.m. Wednesday and 8 a.m. He found the stretch he drove on in good shape. Hayes said some truckers at the TravelCenters of America truck stop on Neelytown Road were likely more affected.

"I think some of them were a little confused if they were allowed on the road or not," Hayes said.

Hayes didn't say the state's call was wrong, though — the rest of the highway could've been different.

"For me it's a tough call because I only know what Exit 5 to Exit 6 is like," Hayes said.

nbrown@th-record.com

jnani@th-record.com

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